FROM THE CAPITOL: Act 14 of 2013, voter registrations, 9/11 Tribute,

A new law that gives victims of crime in Pennsylvania a voice in the parole process of inmates has recently taken effect.

Act 14 of 2013 states that a crime victim or representative for the victim may appear personally before the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole and provide testimony related to an inmate’s application for parole.

Victims or their representatives also may choose to appear through video conference rather than by telephone if the board has that capability.

In addition, the law also will protect victims against potential retaliation by criminals by keeping the testimony confidential.

Voter registrations

In an effort to protect the integrity of every vote, Pennsylvania has joined a multi-state consortium to identify voters who may be registered to vote in more than one state.

The Interstate Voter Registration Cross-check Program was created several years ago by a coalition of midwestern states to cross-check voter registration databases. Over the years, the program has grown and now includes 25 states.

The commonwealth will update registration information into the program database in January 2014. A list of potential duplicate registrations should be available by early next year.

Prior to the Interstate Voter Registration Cross-check Program, there was no uniform method to identify potential duplicate registrations among states.

For more information on registering to vote and voting in Pennsylvania, visit: http://www.votespa.com.

9-11 Memorial

A 9-11 memorial has been constructed in Red Run Park in Rouzerville and will be dedicated on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at 6:30 p.m.. Rock will attend the ceremony and participate in the dedication.

The memorial consists of a half-ton beam from the World Trade Center, limestone from the Pentagon and a boulder from the crash site in Shanksville. These items will be displayed in an open-air pavilion.

In addition, the Rouzerville Memorial, which honors 206-area residents who participated in World War II, has been relocated to Red Run Park and will be dedicated with the 9-11 memorial.